Is Subaru a good vehicle for overlanding? Simple answer is yes.
Due to their rigid body, a low center of gravity and horizontally opposed boxer engine design makes Subaru a great off road vehicle. Most people don’t realize that the road clearance on these vehicles are very similar to the SUVs that are highly touted as heavy off-road vehicles.
Given the fact that all wheel drive is standard and all models are based on the same engineering, you can’t go wrong with a Subaru. That is why they have huge popularity in places like the northeast and western mountain states.
If you are going to be driving down the road with a heavy load on top of your vehicle, wouldn’t you rather be in vehicle with a low center of gravity that maintains its control.
So the best vehicles for overlanding in the Subaru line-up would be the Outback, Forester, Ascent and the Crosstrek.
Which brings up the question. What is overlanding?
Overlanding takes the adventure of offroading and combine it with camping, to create a free-styling explorative off grid experience. For the person who doesn’t wanna stay at the traditional camp site. But wants to spend some time deeper up the logging roads or stay further on top of the mountain ridge.
Some people are totally happy taking their Jeep out for the day and having a great time in the woods, then head back to the hotel room. Other people are happy going to the campground to pitch a tent, and that’s okay. But now there’s a very enthusiastic group of people that are combining both activities into a truly memorable event.
The main question is where do you sleep? Many people that are true car campers are going to a tent-less extreme and use their suv as their main sleeping shelter. Your vehicle ideed can create a very safe and secure enclosure from large wild life activity.
Another alternative to sleeping on the ground in a tent or in your car, is to go with an idea that is gaining popularity. That is, go with a roof top tent. Yeah I know, this has been a popular instagram crowd pleaser and a picking point for being a glamper. But just like motorcycle or car enthusiast, some of these rooftop tent ownsers are already buying their second or third rooftop tent.
What’s very interesting about the rooftop phenomenon, is the evolution in designs that continues to take place. There are three main designs, the nimble soft fold out style, the hearty clamshell, and the grandiose hard top pop up. These tents are strong, water resistant and they get you of the ground and away from the snakes. .. and chipmunks.
Thule Tepui Explorer Ayer 2 Rooftop Tent (Amazon)
Enough room to be just comfortable in the tent for two decent sized adults.
Compact and light with super durable fabrics. It is easy to set up and use. Taking it down is a breeze. The tent fabric is both UV and mold, coated 600 deniers, and a 260g poly-cotton blend resistant to withstand the sun, rain, and wind.
It is well ventilated and open for more airflow having mesh windows on two sides and mesh doors on two sides. Above there are two sky mesh windows as well. These can all be zipped/unzipped to be covered by tent material or unmeshed.
Unfolding it for use is easy, and sleeping off the ground is nice. The mattress pad is comfortable.
Having the tent on the roof does not change the driving too much. It does reduce the mileage slightly.
It is a fun tent. Highly recommend.
Overland Vehicle System Rooftop Tent (Amazon)
This tent is reasonably priced with high quality. Super easy to put together and made with good material: Marine Grade 600D Rip-Stop Polyester Cotton Canvas Water Proof Body, 420D Polyester Oxford Waterproof Rain Fly, 110g Fade-less Gaze Breathable Windows, 3″ High-Density Foam Mattress.
There are six built-in storage pockets for your convenience.
This tent weighs approximately 160 lbs while it’s sitting in the vehicle.
The base of the tent when mounted and not deployed is 48 x 75.
This system is completely universal and can adjust between the full width or length of the tent when mounted. Mounting on a narrow or large rack should be no problem.
Waterproof, easy to take on & off with full diamond plate base. The rainfly is removable. There are screened windows and a skylight. Setup only takes minutes.
Highly rated by verified customers.
Raptor Series 100000-126800 (Amazon)
The tent will fit almost any SUV, especially a larger one As long as it has the crossbars. Fit any rack that has a weight rating of 160 pounds. The frame is 7 feet long so you do need to consider possible overhang on the specific vehicle.
It comes with 2 different kinds of brackets, you would choose one or the other to mount, depending on your roof rack.
The inside is comfortable and it has little to zero road noise. The windows keep it ventilated and double as pockets. The huge door is a bonus. This tent was easy to install and set up. Easy to take down and drive home. Also, this is made of high-quality materials. Even in heavy rains no leaks.
An aluminum ladder comes with the tent.
The bed is excellent. with high-density 78 by 48-inch foam double/full mattress and 750-pound max load.
This tent is good for four seasons, in the rain, sun, and snow. The tent does a wonderful job of retaining heat at night, staying cool during the day, and keeping out the wind.
Convenient to fold and unfold. You can easily store it hanging on the wall in your garage.
A++ Thank you very much !
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